Gideon Calder

Gideon teaches at Swansea University, where he is Head of the Department of Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy. He previously taught at the University of South Wales in Newport, and has been a member of the Fairness Commission since it was set up in 2012. His research has been mostly about social justice, recently focusing on children and the family, and (separately) what happens when services are co-produced by those who use them. He also co-edits the academic journal Ethics and Social Welfare. In his spare time he runs, and helps out with his daughter’s football team.

Kate Thomas

Elected as councillor for Stow Hill, the area which includes the city centre of Newport in 2012. She has retained the seat at elections since then. Previously, she was the Health and Social Care Coordinator for Newport, working for GAVO with voluntary sector organisations, the health board and council. She actively supports unpaid carer’s groups, the 50+ Forum for older people living within the city and Newport Access Group. She is a governor at 2 local schools and a member of Llais, the body representing patients using NHS services and social care. She has been a member of the Fairness Commission since it was first established in 2012.

Her interests are in promoting social justice across all age groups in spite of the challenges that the country and city continues to face.

Terry Price

Now retired, Terry was previously Wales Director for the Scarman Trust, a UK Community Regeneration Charity focused on social justice. He set up many projects on local community regeneration, community learning, developing social businesses and digital inclusion in Wales. He is an experienced facilitator/trainer in community engagement methods and equalities in both Wales and many European settings. He was instrumental in helping establish Welsh Government initiatives addressing digital exclusion in communities and still sits on its Digital Inclusion advisory board. He oversaw SEWREC's Families First project in Newport for 5 years and is a trustee on Cardiff's Community Voluntary Council. He has been a member of Newport's Fairness Commission since 2015.

Ruth McKie

Retired Deputy Commercial Director with a major defence company, now able to pursue interests in supporting women's wellbeing and working issues as well as gardening and generally enjoying life. Having mobility difficulties myself, I help people accessing services, working environments and other venues through the Newport Access Group.

Kate Haywood

Kate is from Newport and lives in the Stow Hill area. Her two children go to local schools and through them she is involved in lots of groups and clubs across the city. Kate teaches Youth Work and Youth Justice at the University of South Wales campus in the city centre. She is a volunteer at Community House, Maindee and has been involved there since the late 1990s. She is also involved with Newport based charities including Urban Circle and Newport Yemeni Community Association.

Newport Fairness Commission Members

Rosalind Phillips

Rosalind became a member of the Fairness Commission at the end of 2022, after completing a research internship in connection with the Commission and Swansea University regarding the Our Voice, Our Choice, Our Port Participatory Budgeting funding opportunity. Having completed an undergraduate degree at Swansea University in Social Policy, and currently undertaking a master’s degree at the University of Bristol in Public Policy, Rosalind has an interest in the ever-increasing need for social justice and equality. The Commission has given Rosalind an insight into the need for a diversity of voices to engage with decisions which impact the community.

Shereen Williams MBE OStJ DL

Shereen is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (LDBCW) and Secretary to the Boundary Commission for Wales (BCW). Prior to this, she worked in local government for nearly a decade across Newport and Monmouthshire Local Authorities with responsibility for Community Cohesion. Over the past 16 years, she has volunteered in numerous roles in the Third Sector as well as for statutory bodies. She also sits as a magistrate, is a school governor and is involved in grassroots rugby.

Bishop Cherry Vann

Cherry served as Archdeacon of Rochdale, for 11 years prior to her election as Bishop of Monmouth in 2019. She trained for ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge, and was ordained as a deacon in 1989.

Among the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1994, her previous ministry was entirely in the Diocese of Manchester. She was also an honorary canon of Manchester Cathedral and a former chaplain to Deaf people.

A talented pianist, Cherry is an Associate of the Royal College of Music (ARCM) and a Graduate of the Royal Schools of Music. She was conductor of the Bolton Chamber Orchestra for over 20 years. Cherry lives with her civil partner, Wendy and their dogs, Macallan and Sadie.

We want to build our membership so we are more representative of the many communities and interests in Newport. Anyone can take part. If you are interested in an informal conversation about our recruitment process please get in touch.